


A Chance

by Musetotheworld



Series: Tumblr Prompt Fills [3]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Pre-Relationship, ambiguous ending, cancer tw, sickness tw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-09-15 02:30:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9214868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musetotheworld/pseuds/Musetotheworld
Summary: "Yes."The word is quiet, soft, so defeated that for long moments Kara thinks she's imagined it.Canon Divergence from 2X02, Cat leaves for a different reason.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I kind of wish I could have gone a lot more in depth with this, and I might go back and do so later on. It's a little rushed, but it's hard to write a full plot line on your phone at work and that's the point of my tumblr prompts.
> 
> Also, I'm sorry.

"Yes."

The word is quiet, soft, so defeated that for long moments Kara thinks she's imagined it.

Kara was thirteen when her planet was destroyed, when she'd lost everything. And now she's twenty five and feeling the same sensation of loss deep in her stomach, ripping through old scars and fresher wounds that have barely healed. She'd thought she was done with losing those she loved when Astra died, was laid to rest with the ashes of Krypton in Kara's heart. She wasn't supposed to lose anyone else.

Before she can stop herself Kara is standing to pull Cat in for a hug, desperation clear in every movement. If she's holding Cat, then nothing can go wrong. Nothing will change.

She barely registers Cat explaining once the embrace ends, only her Kryptonian memory allowing her to save the words for later, when she doesn't feel as if a single blow could shatter her. And it takes every bit of her strength to keep from breaking down, knows that Cat needs her to be strong right now.

The words that come from her mouth don't make sense to her, but she can see Cat smiling and knows they've helped. And that smile gives Kara the strength to walk out of the office and head home, where she can break in safety.

Alex shows up the next day after Kara has avoided work and the DEO completely, hasn't even checked her phone beyond calling out of work that morning. She'd needed the time to process, to work through her own emotions so that she can be there for Cat. Because she will be, right by her side as she had been for years. If Cat is going through this, then job advancement be damned. Kara won't let her go through it alone. No one knows Cat better than she does, will be able to help the way she will. Scheduling appointments is one thing, and Kara knows Eve would be able to manage that, but there's so much more Cat will need.

"You wanna talk about it?" Alex asks as she sits next to Kara, already pulling her in for a hug.

"Cat has cancer," Kara says, fighting down the tears that saying it aloud brings. "And even if she beats it, she'll get it again. And again. And again, until she doesn't."

"You don't know that," Alex says instantly, squeezing tighter as she feels a dampness on her shoulder. "You've been telling me for years how strong she is, why is this any different?"

The comfort breaks through what little control Kara's built over her emotions over the day, and she can barely manage to gasp out all the facts and statistics she found, because it's not just cancer. Cat's beaten that before, twice already, years before Kara came along. No, it's a genetic abnormality, same as her father had. It's not an "if" but a "when" no matter how Kara tries to spin it. And this time the disease is moving fast, is more aggressive than in the past.

"She's taking a leave of absence, Alex. She's never done that. Cat used to come from treatment straight to board meetings, or write her articles from bed." Kara had spent the whole day looking for hope, had looked into the two times Cat had won before after the woman had mentioned them in an attempt to be reassuring. But all Kara can see are the differences, and she isn't reassured at all.

Alex just holds her until the tears subside, not saying anything, not making promises Kara knows she can't keep.

X

"Miss Grant?" Kara asks the next day, hesitantly entering the glass walled office. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"If this is about last night, I don't think this is the time," Cat says, voice clipped, not making eye contact. And Kara knows that the rare moment of emotional intimacy has passed, but this is important and she refuses to be scared off.

"It needs to be." The authoritative tone gets Cat's attention, and she looks up in surprise. "I changed my mind about what job I want."

"That wasn't an option," Cat argues, and Kara nods in agreement.

"It wasn't, and I'd usually love the chance you were giving me. But there's something more important I need to do." Kara can see when Cat starts to understand, and hurries on before she can object. "You need me, Miss Grant. You know you do. I'm the only one who can keep things running smoothly with your schedule, take some of the pressure off of you. Please, let me help."

"Kara, no," Cat says, voice soft. "You need to take this chance, because you can't always guarantee there will be another."

"No, I need you," Kara admits without thinking, immediately rambling on when she realizes what she'd said. "You've done so much to guide me, Miss Grant, so much to inspire me. I couldn't do what you expect me to do if I didn't know you were taken care of properly."

Cat doesn't seem fooled by the deflection, but Kara can't find it in herself to care. "I can't ask this of you," Cat says, and Kara plays her final card.

"You said I'd always have a job with you if I wanted it, Miss Grant. And I do. Let me do what I can do better than anyone else, please." Kara doesn't know what she'll do if Cat refuses her help, refuses to dwell on the thought at this moment. She'd done enough of that last night.

"If I allow this, you have to promise the city will come before any concerns about my care," Cat says, standing and gesturing towards the balcony before crossing the room herself. "No secrets between us, Kara, not on this."

"You know?" Kara has to ask, because she's suspected but never been able to decide for sure.

"Of course I know. I'd give you the list of how but they just started me on new medication and I'm a little too exhausted to spend the hours required." Cat is smirking, as Kara would have expected, but she can also see the exhaustion Cat mentioned. It's carefully masked, but Kara knows her too well.

"I'm sure it's very thorough," Kara teases, knowing Cat won't appreciate her concern. "And if I promise, you'll let me help?"

"Knowing you I'd get your help one way or another," Cat says, settling carefully onto one of her chairs. "And Kara, I know I won't be the best at showing it as things move forward, so I'll say it now and hope you remember. Thank you."

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else,"Kara says quietly, letting the moment settle between them until she knows it's probably too much for Cat. "I'll go talk with Eve and take your schedule back over, just call if you need me."

X

It's strange at first, not working from CatCo. The fact that she's often perched in Cat's penthouse living room only adds to the sensation, but Kara is determined to help and that means being close to Cat. At first she's scheduling appointments and outings that will keep Cat from growing bored without being too much of a drain on her energy, but as the treatments take their toll Kara begins to step up and help with other things as well.

Superspeed lets her clean the apartment in seconds, meaning Cat doesn't have to make the effort to feel presentable in front of the cleaning service she'd used for years. A long standing friendship with Cat's drivers means Kara can always ensure Carter is picked up promptly and delivered safely, even though he's been staying with his father more over the weeks so he doesn't see how weak Cat often feels. He knows, of course, had fought bitterly to stay by her side, but Cat won't let him see.

Kara doesn't know if she thinks the decision is fair to either of them, but she does know that when Carter is around Cat puts all of her energy into seeming stronger than she is, which isn't good for her. She's always so exhausted from the effort the next day that she can barely move, instead sleeping for most of the day.

Despite Kara's help and all of Cat's resources, the treatments aren't as effective as the doctors had hoped, and calls to lawyers slowly end up added to Kara's duties. She hates knowing that Cat is preparing for the worst, but she understands why. Cat has always been a businesswoman, knows how to call a score better than anyone else Kara knows. And despite an idealistic streak a mile wide that she keeps mostly hidden, Cat is also a pragmatist. She won't risk being unprepared for whatever happens, especially where Carter is concerned.

As things slowly get worse Kara all but moves into the penthouse, knowing without being told that Cat is more comfortable with her seeing weakness than she would be with anyone else. She can easily help with whatever is needed, and does so without calling attention to the assistance. Even though it's different, both women are so used to Kara helping with whatever Cat needs that it almost doesn't register anymore. It's just them.

The fact that she's seeing a softer side of Cat doesn't help with Kara's crush, and in rare moments of honesty she has to admit she'd passed a mere crush months ago. Especially when Cat, despite her warning, never fails to make sure Kara knows how thankful she is for her presence. Not openly, if anything she's often more curt than the worst days at the office, but in the little things. Kara's favorite foods are stocked at all times despite Cat's complete lack of appetite. Long treatments are scheduled for times that mean Kara is free to have an evening with Alex without feeling guilty. Cat assigns her 'homework' in the form of written articles claiming she needs something to edit, with the result that Kara learns everything one of the best writers in the country can teach her. When Kara has to carry Cat from place to place, the closeness begins to linger even after they reach the destination. In 100 different ways Cat shows her thanks, and her feelings.

Neither comments on that closeness of course, though it colors every interaction they have. As Cat weakens and nightmares begin to plague her sleep, Kara takes to sitting by her bedside all night, not needing to sleep more than an hour or so herself. She starts cradling Cat on her lap as they sit and talk, her Kryptonian temperature more effective than any blanket at warding off the chill that sets in so easily. There's always an excuse, always a reason to avoid facing what's growing between them.

X

Cat fights being hospitalised until there isn't another choice, and when she finally gives in Kara knows what that means.

She's fought so hard, done everything she could, but as strong as Cat is she's only human. And humans are so frighteningly fragile.

Kara doesn't leave Cat's side no matter how the doctors try to make her, and eventually they just give up. She hears the whispers, knows what they assume, but she doesn't care. The whole world could know she loves Cat, and Kara wouldn't care. Not about what they say, not about her identity, none of it. Nothing will get her to walk away now.

The doctor has just told Kara she should probably make the necessary calls to family members when Alex bursts into the room, out of breath. She has to flash her FBI credentials to keep the doctor from calling security, but once he's calmed she has him leave the room.

"What's going on?" Kara asks, compeltely confused by Alex's surprise presence. "Why are you here?"

"I didn't want to get your hopes up," Alex says as she opens the breifcase she'd brought to reveal a row of vials and a syringe. "I still don't, and don't ask me what this is because I can't tell you and shouldn't have it. But Kara's it's a chance."

Kara's mind flashes back to the recent times Alex has called her in for testing, saying she'd wanted to be sure the stress and pressure of watching Cat fade wasn't having any adverse affects. Kara had assumed it was overprotectiveness and a desire to give her a break, but now she has to wonder what Alex has been developing, why she won't explain.

But if it's a chance, then that's all that matters. A quick glance at Cat to make sure she's okay with it all has Kara nodding, grateful that even with the pain and failing body Cat's mind has stayed sharp, that she understands what's going on.

"Here we go..." Alex says as she inserts the syringe into Cat's IV and slowly injects the medicine.

As she does Kara prays to Rao for hope and strength, hoping that this chance is enough.

Just let it be enough.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The immediate effects of Alex's treatment.

Kara isn’t sure what she’d been expecting to happen when Alex had administered the first dose, but Cat sighing deeply and falling unconscious wasn’t it. “Alex, is that supposed to happen?” she asks while fighting down panic, trying to trust her sister.

“Relax, Kara. That’s just a sedative. The actual treatments wouldn’t be very pleasant if she was awake.” Alex has slipped into her hyper focused scientist mode, and while that’s comforting to Kara, it’s also problematic because when Alex is like this she doesn’t have the ability to explain what she’s doing. And Kara _needs_ answers.

“How unpleasant?” Kara risks asking, hoping her sister will be able to split her focus enough to explain.

“Enough that I gave her a sedative, Kara. Now I know you’re worried but I need you to let me monitor her vitals for this, okay? If you can’t be quiet no matter what you see, I need you to leave.” The brusque tone of Alex’s voice hurts, but Kara knows she doesn’t mean it. And she’ll apologize later, once all this is over, so Kara doesn’t take offence.

“I’ll be quiet,” Kara promises, stepping to the side of the hospital bed opposite Alex and whatever she’s doing.

Kara doesn’t miss the quick movement of Alex’s lips as the second syringe of medicine is injected, and knowing that her staunchly atheist sister is praying causes a wave of worry to wash over her. If Alex, who believes so firmly in science above all, is asking for the help of something stronger, then is there really a chance? Should Kara be just standing here, or should she be begging Rao and Sol to share the strength granted to her with the woman she loves?

In the end Kara knows that she couldn’t leave Cat’s side unless she knew it would help, and as much as she believes in Rao’s existence Kryptonians have never been much for believing he had a place in their everyday lives. He was their light in life and in death, but a light can only guide. It cannot intervene, no matter how Kara begs.

She has to hold herself back when Cat twitches, brow furrowing in pain, and only her promise to Alex keeps Kara from demanding answers then and there. Her sister doesn’t seem worried by the reaction, so Kara can wait.

“Okay, that one seems to have worked,” Alex says when the lines of pain on Cat’s face smooth out, and Kara lets out a sigh of relief.

“What was that?” she can’t help asking, despite Alex’s earlier warning not to.

“That was a modified version of a DEO treatment designed to remove alien particulates from human agents,” Alex answers, preparing another dose from one of the remaining vials. “I had to modify it to do the same with cancer cells, which is not as easy as it sounds.”

“Wait, you just developed a cure for cancer?” Kara asks, shocked at how little that seems to have mattered to Alex.

“Technically only for this one case,” Alex says, looking up at Kara with an unreadable look on her face. “It’s designed to go after anything that isn’t human tissue, in order to modify it I had to have the exact cellular structure of the tumor. It’s not an across the board cure, though it might be one day.”

“How did you get that?” Kara asks without thinking, realizing when Alex just gives her a look.

“There’s a reason I said don’t ask, Kara. This treatment wouldn’t exactly be sanctioned by the FDA.” Kara doesn’t care about that, knows that Alex only does mostly out of loyalty to her years of medical training, but it’s still something she hadn’t considered. Whatever Alex has done, whatever she’s come up with, she’s done so despite her own feelings and beliefs, and Kara loves her for it.

The next shot doesn’t have the same visible effect, and Kara wonders for long moments whether it’s working, whether she should be worried. As much as she doesn’t want Cat to be in pain, she knows that anything from these treatments will be a temporary thing that Alex has done everything she can to keep Cat from actually feeling. So as much as she hates it, at least it’s a sign that something is presumably going right for once. This complete lack of reaction is unnerving.

“You aren’t supposed to see anything with this one, relax,” Alex says when she notices Kara fidgeting. “This will hopefully keep any potential relapses from happening, assuming I did my job right.”

“Alex, thank you,” Kara says, her voice barely a whisper.

“Don’t thank me yet, I don’t even know whether the first treatment worked or not,” Alex says, reaching for the fourth and final vial. “I’m going to wake her up now, check her vitals and mental functioning, and then she’s going to decide this facility isn’t up to her standards and request a transfer.”

“That sounds like Cat,” Kara says with a weak laugh, desperately trying to ignore Alex’s pragmatic warning that she shouldn’t relax just yet. She knows it’s well meant, and she really should take it seriously, but Kara doesn’t do well with pragmatic. She thrives on hope and the thought that there is goodness in the universe despite all the pain she’s gone through and seen in others. She can’t let herself think otherwise.

“Whatever you dosed me with could use a little work, I think I prefer the morphine,” Cat says before her eyes even blink, open, and Kara can’t help the slightly hysterical laugh that escapes.

“I’m sure you do,” Alex says, shooting Kara a look to shut her up. “I need to run through how you’re feeling, so why don’t you talk me through it all. What feels different, what doesn’t, any strange feelings or sensations you’re experiencing, I need to hear it all.”

“Never ask a writer for a comprehensive list, we’ll be here all day,” Cat says with a weak smirk before taking a deep breath and doing as Alex asked.

“That all sounds about as I’d expect,” Alex says when she finishes, looking up from the notes she’s taken as Cat was talking. “There should be greater changes over the next few hours, but right now we need to get you transferred to the facility set up to track your hopeful recovery.”

“I take it from your tone I’ll need to play the stuck up rich bitch card?” Cat asks, moving to sit up. It’s the first time in days she’s had that much energy, and Kara’s heart begins to beat a little faster at the sight even as she steps forward without thinking to help get Cat arranged comfortably.

“Unless you want to explain to the hospital staff you were injected with confidential government and alien technology, then yes. We’ve got a cover story lined up, but you’re the only one who can authorize the transfer.” Alex smiles seemingly despite herself at Cat’s reading of the situation, and Kara knows she’s impressed.

“Which of my many favors am I supposedly calling in this time?” Cat asks as she reaches for Kara’s hand, keeping her close when she moves to step away after getting the older woman settled.

“FBI mishandling of Livewire,” Alex says carefully. “As well as some mild pressure on the Bureau from Supergirl as thanks for your consistent support. We’ll go over the relevant details and lies later, once we’ve had a chance to make sure this worked.”

“Thank you, Alex,” Kara says again, and Alex just nods this time.

“I’ll get the doctor, you two should talk,” she says on her way out the door, giving Kara a supportive look as she does.

“Because that doesn’t sound altogether ominous at all,” Cat mutters as she shifts slightly against the pillows propping her up, giving Kara a searching look. “Does she think it worked? Because I do feel better, but I don’t feel healed, exactly.”

“That could take time,” Kara points out, wanting to believe the best. “But she doesn’t know, and she’s very cautious about pretending she does. Especially because it sounds like she had to completely invent the treatment, and won’t talk about how she did that.”

“If she’s not sure, then I think perhaps we ought to hold off on that conversation,” Cat says, looking worried.

“Only if you promise we’ll have it once we are sure,” Kara says in response, because she doesn’t know what she’ll do if Cat decides to pretend there isn’t anything to discuss. They’ve avoided it in the past weeks out of a mutual desire to keep a painful situation from being worse, but they both know what’s been growing between them. If Cat decides it was only because she was vulnerable, if she tries to run from it once she’s recovered, Kara knows she’ll break.

“I promise. Now go find your sister, you know how much I detest hospitals.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 is the one we all want and love. Chapter 4 is the one that ends with you cursing my name and looking for things to throw at me. Feel free to read either or both, but please remember which is which.


	3. Chapter 3a (The happy one)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Picks up soon after chapter 2, with good news all around. Yay good news!

Cat isn’t just in remission, there’s no trace of cancer anywhere on any of the scans Alex takes as soon as they’re settled into a satellite DEO medical site. It’s enough like a hospital to have Cat scrunching her nose in distaste, but thankfully she doesn’t offer any comments to Alex or any of the other medics. Kara is used to her biting sarcasm, but of the others only Alex has even seen it before, and even she could easily take it the wrong way.

“You still have a good bit of recovering to do, the illness took a lot out of you, but everything looks strong,” Doctor Hamilton says as she confirms Alex’s testing, smiling at them both. “I’m still not sure what she did, but whatever it was seems to have worked.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Cat says honestly, sagging a little in relief.

“There is one last thing to discuss,” Alex says as the doctor leaves, closing the door behind her for privacy. “Your sons, Miss Grant. There’s a genetic component to your previous susceptibility to cancerous growths, have you had them tested?”

“As soon as I was informed of my condition, I had Carter tested,” Cat says, looking worried once more. “I told Adam’s father, but I don’t know if he took the warning seriously enough to have the tests performed. But Carter is not a carrier, I know that much for certain.”

“Then I’ll go pull Adam’s medical records to see if he’ll need the same treatment that should prevent your relapses,” Alex says, clearly aiming for comforting.

“And if he hasn’t had the testing?” Kara asks, saving Cat from having to ask herself.

“Then we have him tested,” Alex says with a shrug. “And if he has and he’s clear, then there’s nothing more to do and I can destroy my research.”

“Why do you need to destroy it?” Cat asks sharply. “You’ve been awfully reluctant to discuss exactly what you did to me, but I think I have a right to know.”

“I changed the structure of your DNA coding,” Alex says with a sigh, clearly seeing she won’t get out of explaining without a fight, and perhaps not even then. “Which raises approximately three hundred ethical and moral complications that the world isn’t ready to deal with, as well as potentially putting Kara’s identity at risk considering the necessary information came from her cells. So if there’s no reason to keep the information around, I’m not risking it.”

“That makes sense,” Kara says, eager to head off any potential argument between the two very strong willed women.

“I suppose it does,” Cat agrees reluctantly, though Kara can tell she still has questions she wants to ask.

“I’m gonna go do that now, you should rest.” When Cat doesn’t push Alex clearly takes it as a sign to escape, and leaves the room with a sigh of relief that has Kara rolling her eyes. Really, Cat isn’t that hard to deal with.

“I believe I promised we’d talk,” Cat says as she reaches for Kara’s hand, an uncharacteristically nervous look on her face.  
“You aren’t going to try to talk me out of it, right?” Kara interrupts to ask, hoping she doesn’t have to fight that particular battle. “Because if you start telling me this is a bad idea, we might have an argument on our hands.”

“I didn’t intend to talk you out of anything, I just wanted to be sure you understood the potential fallout,” Cat protests, pulling her a little closer. “I’m not easy to be with, and the media will tear us apart.”

“I just spent eight months constantly by your side afraid every day that I was going to lose you, and you think anything could be harder than that?” Kara asks in disbelief, shaking her head at the very thought. “And the media already thinks we’re a thing, has since month five when I was spotted at every treatment. “If anything that mess has already calmed down.”

“And you didn’t think to tell me about that?” Cat snaps, glaring up at Kara.

“They’d just put you on a new medication, the one you hated because it messed with your memory,” Kara explains calmly, knowing Cat is upset but also that she’ll quickly get over it when she hears the explanation. “You even told me to send the first reporter to run the story a gift basket of questionable contents as in invitation to ‘go fuck himself’ the first time the story ran, and the second time you saw him you told me to have CatCo hire him because his research skills were impeccable. By the time you were off that medication, it was an occasional mention of a commonly accepted fact.”

“I still missed it,” Cat groans, covering her face with the hand not currently clutching Kara’s. “And I didn’t know you had it in you to curse, even as a quote.”

“I’m not entirely innocent,” Kara protests, though it’s true she rarely curses and only the emotional exhaustion of the day kept her from blushing as she’d repeated the insult.

“No, I suppose you aren’t,” Cat agrees, looking nervous again once her earlier ire fades. “But that doesn’t mean things won’t be different now.”

“I’m looking forward to that,” Kara says with a smile. “In fact, I was hoping you’d agree to go on a date with me, once enough time has passed to make a recovery seem plausible.”

“Really, you want to take it slow?” Cat asks with a raised brow, looking at Kara in disbelief. “Weren’t you the one just arguing that you’d spent months by my side already?”

“Yes, and that means I want to do this right. It will be a change, we both know that, and I don’t want to risk things changing too fast for us to handle.” Kara can barely believe she’s being allowed a chance at all, there’s no way she’s going to ruin it by rushing into things.

“I suppose I can agree to that,” Cat says, “as long as you don’t intend to make me wait too long for that date.”

“Well, maybe we can start with dinner at your place,” Kara offers, because she doesn’t really want to wait for whatever Alex’s timetable on public appearances will be. Cautious doesn’t begin to describe Alex when it comes to Kara’s safety, so knowing her sister that date is months in the future.

“It’s a date,” Cat agrees, and the smile on her face is the first that’s free of pain and worry since she’d left CatCo.

At the sight of it, Kara finally feels as if maybe things will end up okay after all.


	4. Chapter 3b

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Also picks up soon after chapter 2, this is the one that makes everyone sad. Repeat: this is the sad one. Don't say I didn't warn you.

“Well, it worked,” Doctor Hamilton confirms, though Kara doesn’t hear the relief she would have expected to hear. “But there’s a lot of damage to the affected organs. There are things we can try, but I’m not optimistic. I’m sorry, Miss Grant. The cancer was just too far along before we got to it.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Cat says, sounding as if the words are spoken by rote.

“Cat, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Kara says, feeling tears begin to drip down her cheeks.

“Oh hush, Kara, it isn’t your fault,” Cat says, snapping out of her shock slightly at the tone. “It is what it is, and that’s all there is too it. From what the doctor said, it at least bought me some time.”

“I’ll go make arrangements to bring your sons in to see you,” Alex says from the door, looking crestfallen. Kara knows she’d tried, is beyond grateful for all the work Alex has clearly poured into the work, but she’s grateful her sister is leaving the room. She’s trying very hard not to blame her for not being fast enough, but right now she hurts so much that it’s hard and she needs the space.

“I wish it was better news,” Kara admits, still coming to grips with losing this last desperate hope. “I don’t know what to do without you, Cat.”

“You go on,” Cat says, looking far too composed for someone who’s just been told there isn’t any hope left. “We thought this was coming once, your sister managed to delay the inevitable, but here we are again.”

“It won’t be the same without you,” Kara says as she shakes her head, trying to be strong.

“Well of course it won’t, nothing and no one can match me,” Cat jokes, but Kara can hear the tremor in her voice.

In the space of a few heartbeats Kara has crossed the room back to Cat’s side to pull her into a hug that’s probably a little tighter than it should be. “We were supposed to have the chance to talk,” Kara whispers into Cat’s hair, hating herself for bringing it up.

“Maybe it’s better this way,” Cat tries, though her arms cling almost as tightly as Kara’s. “Maybe you won’t miss me as much.”

“I miss you already though,” Kara admits, voice dark with the thought of years ahead without Cat by her side.

“You aren’t going to have time to miss me,” Cat says, pulling back just enough to make Kara meet her eyes. “My shares in CatCo will be going to Carter, you know that. But until he’s 18, you’ll speak for him to the board.”

Kara had known about Cat’s shares, but the fact that she’ll be managing them is new, and if she hadn’t sat down on the edge of Cat’s hospital bed to hug her, she’d have likely fallen to the ground in shock at the very thought. “You’re basically handing me your company,” Kara says in disbelief, knowing that Carter will have no interest in CatCo any time soon.

“Leave James the day to day operations, and tell him that if he doesn’t take off that ridiculous suit and start taking better care of what I left him I’ll come back to haunt his ass. But you’re the one I trust to see CatCo led the way it deserves. And it’ll keep you busy, keep you from spending too much time missing me.” Cat sounds far softer than she ever has before, and Kara reads the gesture for what it is. It’s trust, and a belief in her abilities so strong that Kara will spend her entire life trying to be worthy of it.

As she looks at Cat and imagines the years that stretch ahead, Kara knows that she will always miss Cat, no matter what has or hasn’t happened between them. She’s in love with her, and that won’t go away. It’s not the type of love you get over. And even if Kara meets someone else, which at the moment seems wildly unlikely, these emotions will always be there.

So even though she knows it will only hurt more, Kara doesn’t hesitate before leaning down to press her lips to Cat’s, needing to know what that feels like at least once in her life. And she hears the hitch in Cat’s breathing as their lips meet, knows she probably thinks it’s a mistake, but that doesn’t stop Cat from kissing her back. They pour all the things they can’t discuss, all the wishes for a future that will never be into each meeting of their lips, until time has ceased to register and there is nothing else but them.

“Take good care of my company,” Cat says when they finally part, foreheads resting against each other as neither wants to pull any further away.

And Kara hears what she’s truly saying, hears the unspoken ‘take care of yourself’ behind the words. And in any other situation she’d be willing to let things go unsaid, but this isn’t the same.

“I love you, Cat. I love you, and I’m always going to love you.” Kara can’t hold the words back, can barely keep from repeating them until she runs out of air, but she needs to say them. She needs Cat to know.

“Oh, Kara. I love you too.” Cat doesn’t hesitate to repeat the words back, and Kara bursts into tears that match the ones sliding silently down Cat’s cheeks, because all she can see are the endless things they might have had.

If only they’d had more time.

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I know... I will almost definitely write a second part, possibly two second parts for a 'choose your own ending' type thing. Until then, this is where it ends for now.


End file.
